The LRT effect: realizing Cooksville’s vision

NRU
June 29, 2016
By Geordie Gordon

While Mississauga’s Hurontario LRT might be the catalyst for future growth and redevelopment in Cooksville, it won’t be the area’s defi ning feature according to the local councillor. A new vision characterizes the Cooksville community as walkable and pedestrian friendly, with enhanced public spaces, new parks, unique businesses and expanded housing options.

Prepared by Urban Strategies, the report - Vision Cooksville - A Long-Range Community Vision for Downtown Cooksville - highlights the six principles that underpin the vision: a vibrant public realm, connected parks and open spaces, community facilities, housing opportunities, local and unique businesses, and a new distinctive identity. Th e vision also incorporates major initiatives that are underway in the area, such as the Hurontario LRT, Dundas Connects Study and redevelopment of the Cooksville GO station.

Ward 7 councillor Nando Iannicca told NRU that the LRT will have a profound eff ect on the future of Cooksville by attracting intensifi cation, which is critical to preventing the city from sprawling outwards and protecting its greenspace. Cooksville, centred on the intersection of Hurontario and Dundas Streets, is expected to grow by 7,000 people, 1,000 jobs and 2,700 housing units by 2031.

“[The LRT] is without question, the seminal moment in the history of Cooksville and that will transform the community for the next century,” he said. Iannicca was clear that while the vision for Cooksville will be realized, in part, as a result of the coming LRT, the vision for the area has been developing over the past 25 years. What was needed is the infrastructure and capital to implement the vision.

“Infrastructure from a transportation point of view, capital from a public amenity point of view - parkland, etcetera, etcetera - and the LRT has brought this all into immediate focus,” he said. Mississauga strategic leader LeeAnn Lloyd told NRU that the LRT funding announcement is what really spurred council to look at Cooksville as an area for transformation. The LRT has been a “game changer” for the area.

Mississauga policy planning project lead Karen Crouse told NRU that the multidisciplinary master plan that was prepared for the LRT deals with land use, urban design and transportation. Th at work has helped to reinforce the visioning process for Cooksville and vice versa.

“That [LRT] work did put forward some ideas... around [the] public realm and streetscape. And that was confi rmed through Vision Cooksville, what the community was looking for,” she said. “As we deal with the construction of the LRT, we’ll be dealing with the issues around the public realm, about creating these public spaces...which is a critical tie-in with the Vision Cooksville work.”

Iannicca said that Cooksville vision emphasizes the vibrancy of the public realm, with a focus on people, not cars.

“It has to put people fi rst. Great cities aren’t built for cars, they’re built for people,” he said.

The Cooksville project team developed a 20-year action plan to implement the vision, based on community recommendations. Lloyd said that some of the grassroots initiatives are already underway, such as local programming that involves the community. Others, such as assessing pedestrian safety, are ready to be started as soon as council approves the plan. Yet other initiatives, such as the parkland securement strategy, will be pursued this year and more complex initiatives, such as offi cial plan amendments and design guidelines, will be undertaken in the coming years.

June 27 Planning and Development Committee unanimously approved staff recommendations to proceed with implementing the action plan to realize the Cooksville vision.

The recommendations will be considered by Mississauga council at its meeting July 6.